Chapter 50 Teachers and Students

Mr. Wan suffered a great shock in the past few years. After 1977, the earth recovered and everything was renewed. His situation improved a lot.

But now he is over 70 years old, and his energy and enthusiasm are far less than when he was young. He is busy with endless receptions, visits and meetings every day. This visit was to the United States. After returning, he rested for two days before asking his daughter Wan Fang to notify Lin Weimin to come and meet him.

He and Lin Weimin talked in the study for more than ten minutes, mainly asking Lin Weimin about some trivial matters in his work and life. Lin Weimin said that he just listened quietly.

When Lin Weimin said he wanted to join the editorial department of Contemporary, Mr. Wan asked, "Why do you want to join that? Isn't it good to be a full-time writer?"

"Teacher, I don't have such good conditions. After studying at the Institute of Literature and Art, if there is no suitable job, I will have to go back to the countryside first, and then go back to my hometown, and try to get the street to arrange a job for me."

"So that's how it is." Wan nodded and said nothing more.

At this time, Li Yuru knocked on the door and said, "Let's eat."

Being able to eat at home represents a kind of recognition, and Lin Weimin happily stood up.

There were one meat and two vegetable dishes on the table, and they tasted very good.

After finishing the meal, Lin Weimin took the plate and said, "Master's wife, let me clean up."

"No need, this is all my business, you guys chat about your own things."

Her attitude was very firm, and Lin Weimin did not insist.

Back in the study, Mr. Wan gave him a list of books.

"Read these books when you have time. If you have any new works, show them to me."

"Yes, teacher."

After talking about all this, Lin Weimin knew it was time to leave.

When he came out of Mr. Wan's house, it was already completely dark outside. He looked back at the "Shangshu Building" hidden in the darkness.

Fate is a wonderful thing. I somehow traveled back to the 1980s, was lucky enough to get into the Institute of Literature and Art, and now I have become Wan Jiabao's disciple.

Even if the old man was only doing it for the sake of the Institute of Literature Research, he still did not deny calling me "teacher".

Just with these two words, even if one achieves nothing in the future, one can still thrive in the system with the title of "Wan Jiabao's disciple".

Lin Weimin's heart was filled with gratitude towards the Institute of Cultural Research and Mr. Wan.

On the day agreed with Mark Meng, Lin Weimin went to Yenching University.

Mark Meng had almost finished revising the manuscript of "Knives Out", but there were still some flaws. Lin Weimin and Mark Meng spent two days in the dormitory revising the manuscript and then sent it out in Mark Meng's name.

“I hope everything goes well!”

Mark Meng talked to himself after sending the manuscript.

Lin Weimin patted him on the shoulder and said, "Old Ma, don't put so much pressure on yourself. Just treat this as a beneficial attempt."

Mark Meng smiled bitterly and shook his head, "Weimin, you really have a big heart."

The royalties from publishing the novel were not a big deal to Mark Meng. Even if it was really published, he would only get a few hundred dollars.

What really excites him is the sense of accomplishment of publishing his works and discovering a potential writer.

The manuscript of "The Knife Out of the Sheath" has been sent out, which also means that Lin Weimin is completely free of trouble recently.

He recalled the book list Mr. Wan had given him, which contained plays by famous Chinese and foreign writers, such as Shakespeare and Tang Xianzu.

I went to several bookstores and barely bought a few books. It is not easy to get all the books on this list.

Since you can't buy it in the bookstore, go to the library.

Early in the morning, Lin Weimin rode his bicycle from the eastern suburbs and arrived at the Yenching Library at around 9 o'clock.

When he handed over the list of books and finally got a book, another half an hour had passed.

Strangely enough, before he traveled through time, he would not even glance at the books he bought until they were covered in dust, but now, he read the books he had borrowed with great difficulty eagerly.

To sum up, it’s because we don’t know how to cherish.

This person is so despicable!

Nearly half a month passed like this, and the Institute of Literature and Art Research was about to resume classes. Lin Weimin took advantage of the weekend and rushed to Muxidi in time for dinner.

Mr. Wan pointed at him and said with a smile: "Are you here just for dinner?"

"Teacher, who do you think I am? Look outside, it will be dark soon. It is dangerous for a beautiful young man like me to walk on the street at night. I am only considering your time."

Mr. Wan was amused by his antics. It happened that Li Yuru had just finished preparing the meal. Lin Weimin came into the house and did nothing but eat first.

After dinner, Lin Weimin and Mr. Wan went into the study.

"How's the book going?"

Lin Weimin reported on his recent reading. Mr. Wan nodded and said, "Don't be in a hurry to read. These books are not for you to finish within a time limit, but for you to understand them."

"Teacher, what does it mean to understand?"

Mr. Wan said: "I have learned it thoroughly."

Lin Weimin scratched his head. This “comprehensive understanding” might be more difficult than “reciting by heart”, right?

After communicating for a while, Wan frowned when Lin Weimin mentioned that he had submitted a mystery novel to an American magazine.

“When writing, you still need to concentrate on it, and not be scatterbrained.”

"Teacher, I know this, I just want to make some extra money."

Mr. Wan glanced at him and said, "You, I could tell you were so utilitarian the first time we met."

"You are wronging me by saying that. What conditions do others have? What conditions do I have? The child has no mother. It's a long story..."

After being scolded by Mr. Wan, Lin Weimin immediately started to talk about his revolutionary background and recall the good and bad times.

Wan had already known his situation and waved his hand to interrupt him, "Okay, stop being so playful."

Lin Weimin fell silent immediately. Although he seemed careless at ordinary times, he did not dare to touch such a principled issue as the dignity of a teacher.

"It's not that I don't allow you to do these things, but I'm afraid you'll be distracted. You are still young and don't understand the value of creative energy..." When he said this, Mr. Wan's eyes revealed a bit of melancholy, as if he was looking at the time that was going away.

Mr. Wan is an example of someone who became famous at a young age. At the age of 23, he wrote the masterpiece "Thunderstorm".

At the age of 25, he created "Sunrise".

At the age of 26, he created "Wilderness".

At the age of 30, he wrote "Yanjing People".

The word "awesome" is used to belittle him, and he deserves the title "the first person in the history of modern Chinese drama".

However, such a great man who produced many classics in his youth fell into a cycle of creative exhaustion after the age of 39 and was considered by critics to have run out of ideas.

From the age of 39 until his death, he never wrote a work that satisfied him and was recognized by the outside world as valid in the 47 years.

Even before his death, he was shouting: "I will not die until I have written something great, otherwise I will not do it."

(End of this chapter)